PETALING JAYA: A barber who ran amok with a meat cleaver in Pandan Indah, Kuala Lumpur, on Wednesday (Jan 18) has been arrested.

Ampang Jaya OCPD Asst Comm Mohamad Farouk Eshak said the police received a distress call from the public at 10.51am saying they were afraid for their safety due to the suspect's behaviour.

“Police personnel arrived at the scene to calm the suspect down before arresting him for further investigations.

“A cleaver measuring at least 30cm long was seized from the suspect,” he said in a statement Wednesday.

Mohamad Farouk said early investigations showed that suspect had psychiatric issues and was undergoing treatment at the Hospital Kuala Lumpur psychiatric ward.

The suspect is being investigated under Section 506 of the Penal Code for criminal intimidation, which carries a sentence of up to two years in jail time, a fine or both upon conviction.

The suspect is also being investigated under Section 186 of the Penal Code for obstructing a public servant in the discharge of his public functions.

The actions of the suspect were caught on video which later went viral.

The suspect, wearing a jacket and motorcycle helmet, was seen pointing a cleaver towards police officers on site and later charging towards them.